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Ganong .05 from Another World Cup Podium

Travis Ganong, shown here racing toward the first World Cup podium of his career yesterday, was fourth in the second Kvitfjell downhill. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom - Jonas Ericsson)

KVITFJELL, Norway (March 1) - Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA), who 24 hours earlier stamped the first Audi FIS Alpine World Cup top three of his career, finished fourth Saturday, a mere .05 from a second downhill podium in Kvitfjell. The race was held from the super G start after consecutive days of fog, rain and wet snow made it impossible for the crews to prepare the full length 1994 Olympic speed track. Canadian Erik Guay hit 88 mph on the final speed trap to secure the win, the fifth of his career, with a time of 1:22.17. Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) also landed in the top 10 with eighth in the final men's downhill prior to the March 10-16 World Cup Finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Universal Sports Network will broadcast the race at 1 p.m. ET.

HIGHLIGHTS

Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) finished fourth, just .05 from the podium, in the second of two Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhills held in Kvitfjell.

Ganong stormed to the first World Cup top three just 24 hours ago with a third place finish on a fog shortened make up race.

Saturday's downhill was also shortened due to snow conditions, but run from the super G start, 15 seconds higher than the reserve start used Friday.

Canadian Eric Guay hit 88 mph on the finish pitch to win the fifth World Cup of his career in front of Johann Clarey of France and Matthias Mayer of Austria.

Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) finished eighth in the final downhill prior to the March 10-16 World Cup Finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

Only the top 25 athletes in each discipline qualify to start that discipline at World Cup Finals. Athletes with 500 World Cup points can also start in any race and the Junior World Champion can start the discipline they won.

Only Miller (seventh) and Ganong (ninth) have qualified in downhill for the U.S. Ski Team.

Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) and Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) finished 24th and 25th in the race, but are outside the World Cup top 25 for downhill.

Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal tied for sixth in the race, but mathematically secured the season-long downhill title with a 525-360 lead over injured racer Hannes Reichelt of Austria and Guay, who now has 357 points.

Svindal also jumped into the World Cup overall lead with a 982-955 margin over two-time defending champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria. Hirscher is seeking to become the first three-peat overall champion since American Phil Mahre did it from 1981-83.

Universal Sports Network will broadcast the race at 1 p.m ET.

QUOTESTravis GanongIt was another fun day. I wanted to win today. I really thought I could, so I pushed a little harder and had a couple mistakes. I was able to make up a lot of time on the bottom and salvage fourth place.

It’s really fun skiing right now. I’m having a good time and the results are coming. Hopefully in Lenzerheide I can make that one last little step up to the top of the podium and then just carry all this momentum towards the World Champs in Beaver Creek. I’d like to continue on this streak, it’s really nice right now.